DANGERS FACING EUROPE

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22335, 24 February 1938, Page 9

DANGERS FACING EUROPE

Mr Chamberlain On Need for Action “UNMOVED BY JIBES” (UNITED PRESS' ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT.) (Received February 23, 12.5 p.m.) LONDON, February 22. “Month by month we have seemed to be getting nearer war,” said the Prime Minister (Mr Neville Chamberlain) in reply to Labour attacks in the House of Commons. “There may come a time when someone occupying the office of Prime Minister will have to face again the awful responsibility of answering the question: Will you plunge your country into war? “Does not an equally heavy responsibility rest upon a man who feels,’ as I do, that if we take no action we may presently be faced with that frightful question, but who feels that by taking action we may avert it. I should not be fulfilling my duty if I failed to take such action as I have done. (Cheers.) When Mr Chamberlain rose to reply he was cheered for two minutes. Mr Eden then entered the House.

Mr Chamberlain said that he desired to be fair to Mr Eden. He had no recollection of Mr Eden ever saying to him that the question of international good faith constituted an embargo on conversations, eithei with Germany or Italy.

“The suggestion that we should enter into conversations provided certain things were done first was humbug,”' he said. (Ministerial cheers.) It had been said that entering into conversations was humiliation, and there had been talk of sacrifices to dictators and about going whining to Signor Mussolini.

Britain’s Strength “Such jibes and taunts leave me absolutely unmoved,” said Mr Chamberlain. Those who jibed did not realise the greatness of th ® which was strong, and the head centre of a great Empire to which millions looked up for leadership. Labour members, who frequently interrupted here with loud shouting, were called to order by Mr Speaker. Mr Chamberlain continued: it is for a strong country to do what a weak country cannot to do. namely, show magnanimity. Mr Chamberlain said that Mr Eden on January 25 told the Trench Ministers that the British Government was contemplating conversations, and discussed subjects for them The French Government had insisted that the discussions should include a settlement of the Spanish question, and he had toid the, Italians that that would be included. He repudiated the suggestion that the Government had gone behind the backs of its friends.

League Criticised . “If these conversations are to lead, as we desire, not merely to an improvement of British and Italian xelations, but to a general appeasement all round the Mediterranean, in which the French are particularly interested, we cannot possibly achieve success unless the French are with us from the beginning,, he added. , _ Discussing the League of Nations, Mr Chamberlain said that as at present constituted it was incapable.of affording collective security. If Britain remained in the League it was because the League might be reconstituted, and there was important work to be done. He would not change a single article of the covenant if the League threw off its shams and pretences. Returning to the question of whether Britain should have talks with those who differed with her, or with those of whose standards Britain did not approve, Mr Chamberlain said that refusal had not brought peace.

STORMY SCENE IN COMMONS

IMPUTATION AGAINST PRIME MINISTER DELIVERY OF MESSAGE FROM ITALY LONDON, February 22. Mr Lloyd George caused the stormiest scene during the debate in the House of Commons on British foreign policy by declaring that Count Grandi’s message of February 20. offering conversations with Britain, was not produced at the afternoon’s Cabinet meeting. Mr Chamberlain explained that Count Grandi officially communicated the contents of the message early on Sunday. . “I communicated them to Cabinet,” Mr Eden declared. “They were not received before my resignation. Mr Chamberlain told me that he had received an intimation, but he did not disclose its source. He added that in any event it would not have altered the position. Mr Lloyd George said: “It is incredible that an important document did not reach a Minister who felt so strongly that he was resigning.” . Mr Chamberlain explained that he did not see the document until Count Grandi presented it on February 21. Ministers demanded that Mr Lloyd George withdraw the imputation against the Prime Minister, but Mr Lloyd George refused. Mr Chamberlain, confronting Mr Lloyd George, then demanded: “What is the implication?” Mr Lloyd George: That with such issues involved the Prime Minister took no trouble to secure the document, and Count Grandi did not trouble to deliver it' because he wanted to get rid of Mr Eden.